Ottumwa High girls basketball player Hayli Beeson signed a letter of intent this week to play at William Penn University, becoming the sixth Bulldog under head coach Kevin Patterson to ink a collegiate LOI. Beeson is also the second OHS hoops player to sign with the Statesmen in as many years, joining current William Penn men’s basketball player Austin Walker.

“The campus was really nice when I went to visit, and then I went to watch the girls play, and I really liked how they play, and I like how the coach coached,” Beeson said. “I felt it was a perfect fit. It’s close to home.”

Beeson led her OHS squad with 34 made three-pointers last season, and was the only Bulldog to reach the 20-point mark during the campaign when she posted that number in a January win over Des Moines Roosevelt. She spent her junior and senior seasons as Ottumwa’s top three-point threat, but head coach Kevin Patterson says Beeson improved on both ends of the floor.

“Shooting was her main deal that she did for us, but she did become a better defender, especially as a help-side player and as a communicator,” Patterson said. “The good thing about Penn is, if she’s ready to play varsity as a freshman, then they’ll put her out there, but if not, they play a full JV schedule.

“She’s not going to go there and sit, and that’s huge, in my opinion, for her development. She’s going to play no matter what next year, and if they need somebody to hit shots, she’s obviously going to be able to do that.”

Beeson spent three years on Ottumwa’s varsity roster, including her reserve role on the 2012 team that won a share of the CIML Metro Conference championship. She finished her high school career with 55 made three-pointers and 242 points scored.

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